Biocompatible and biodegradable polymer hydrogels are useful carriers to deliver bioactive molecules and cells for biomedical applications, such as in tissue engineering and controlled drug release. Purified native silk fibroin forms β-sheet-rich crosslinked hydrogel structures from aqueous solution, with the details of the process and gel properties influenced by environmental parameters. Previous gelation times often took days to weeks for aqueous native silk protein solutions, with high temperature and low pH responsible for increasing gelation kinetics. Those conditions, although suitable for incorporation of some bioactive molecules, may be too slow for incorporation of active cell and labile bioactive molecules.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a process of rapidly forming silk fibroin gelation at mild physiological conditions.